Casing for universal joints



March 23, 1937. v NELSON V CASING FOR UNIVERSAL JOINTS Filed Sept; '15,1934 INVENTOR. l' zo li? Nelson.

BY I

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to casings for universal outand permits the oilto throw out of the casing 1 by centrifugal force. My invention isdirected to a sheet metal shell of two semi-spherical parts in'anestedrelation so that the one may turn in the :other asa ball in itssocket and the invention particularly" resides inuthe formation of theseparts whereby OIlGrOf the same is'formed with a flange,andprovided'witha detachable ring and a spring supportedrbythe ring andexerting pressure:upon a packing at the interstice between the two half parts of thecasing.

1., These and other objects. and various novel features of. theinvention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and thepreferred form of construction of a casing for a universal joint andpackingmeansthereforis shown in the accom- 25 panying drawing in which-Fig.1is a side elevation partly in section showing my improved casingand packing means applied to a universal joint;

Fig. 2iis a'section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

1. Fig. 3 isa'planview of the preferred. form of spring'element;

Fig. 4 is asection thereof taken on line 4-4 of Fig;-3.;

The invention herein. disclosed is not directed ..tothe particularstructure of the joint between the two partsrof a shaft; such as isindicated at 'l and 2 in-Fig. 1.. Ordinarily there is a yoke of someformsbetween the shaft parts, portions of which are indicated at 3 and}permitting the 40 a|XlSf= the 'shaftparts l and 2 to lie at an angleonento the other; theidriving portion of which revolves the drivenportion irrespective of change innthe angularrelationship thereof.Insofaras the i invention: herein disclosed is concerned, any

.of thea various universal joints for connecting such shaft partsmay beutilized.

The invention: is embodied inthe casing forming. therhousing for the 2universal joint connection-xbetweenithe-:two shafts. In my improved rlCOI'lStlllGtlOllthB portion 5 .or half shell of the casingismountedronthe shaft I and against a flangefi fandis intendedto revolve with theshaft portionwl iand xflange; This "shell 5 has between its hub andedgeza semi-spherical portion and the 55;?edge is outs-turned at Jatlrausharp angle to the I axis of the shaft part I and the terminal end8 thereof is outturned at a right angle to the axis of said shaftportion. The other half shell 9 of the casing has a spherical outersurface and extends into and is in engagement with the similar 5spherical portion of the shell 5. There is a comparatively close fitbetween these spherical surfaces of the two half shells which areconcentric being struck from the same axis.

Theshell part 9 has a hub portion I0 inturned 1 into agroove II formedon an enlarged portion of the shaft 2 and preferably is so fixed inposition asto rotate with the shaft portion 2. Such universal joints asare here described are often used as propeller shafts for automotivevehicles v where there is practically constant change in the angularityvof one shaft portion to the other and may be used wherever universaljoints are required to be utilized.

Although the semi-spherical shells 5 and 9 are a sliding fit one withinthe other in what may be termed ball and socket relation, there is apossibility of oil leaking to the exterior of the shell through theinterstice therebetween. To prevent such shaped packing ring I2 of corkor other adaptable material one face of which engages the inner face ofthe angular flange I anda second face of which engages the sphericalouter surface of the shell 9. It is desired to continually press thepackingqring l2 in place to seal the interstice; For this purpose Iprovide on the third side of the ring an annular Washer 13 which ispressed as by a spring I4 against the packing I2 thereby I forcingthepacking to scaling contact with the respective shell surfaces. Thespring 14 is preferably of wave form as will be understood from Figs. 3andl and seats against a retainer cup I5 whichis L-shaped in crosssection having a peripheral flange: I6 attached to a radial body portionas will beunderstood from the section thereof shownin Fig. 1.

There are at least three radial lugs 8 on the angularly disposed flangeI 'of the part 5 and the flange lli'of the retainer cup slots therein bymeans of which the cup may be set over the lugs 8 and then turned sothat the lugs engage in'the portion I8 of the slot at a right angle tothe portion ll thereof. The portion It of the slot is somewhat wider atits 50 extremity than at thepoint of connection with the slot portion I1thus providing a little inwardly projectinglug I9. Thus when thisretainer ring-is placed over the lugs and then turned sothat thelugsBrest in the portion M 6511 leakage, I provide a triangularly I5 hasbayonet of the bayonet slot and then released from pressurface of theshell part 9.

sure the spring 14 tends to move the retainer cup l5 to the right ofFig. 1 thus forcing the lug I 9 of the bayonet slot over the edge of thelug which prevents a reverse turning of the retainer ring and accidentalrelease thereof from its operative position. The spring thus not onlyfunctions to force the packing ring in place in the interstice betweenthe two semi-spherical shells but holds the retainer cup in lockedposition in respect the lugs 8.

It will be noted that the retainer cup is carried by the half shell 5 ofthe casing and is unattached to and out of contact with the outer Thusthese parts 5 and 9 of the casing are free to turn relative one to theother and the packing ring I2 is in contact with the inner face of theportion 1 of the shell 5 and the outer face of the shell 9.

The ring l2 will usually rotate with the outer shell in and respect tothe inner shell due to the surface thereof in contact with the portion 7of the shell 5 being greater in area than the surface in contact withthe shell 9. It is not essential however with which of the half shellportions the packing ring rotates.

By the construction described, it will be evident that through use ofthe two sheet metal semi-spherical shell parts in the ball and socketrelationship forming a casing together With the formation of the outershell 5 providing a recess between the casing parts for a packing ringand the carrying of a retainer ring, the relationship of the packing,retainer and spring is undisturbed through revolution of the parts orrelative change of angularity of one of the half shells to the other andat all times provides an efficient sealing of the interstice between thetwo sheet metal shell parts; that the structure is simple and ofinexpensive form, is readily detached if the packing becomes worn topermit insertion of a new packing ring. The two semi-spherical membersare of integral form or one piece construction and as will be noted inFig. 1, the flange 1 rises from the edge of the outer member at itspoint of full diameter and, as before stated, forms a V-shaped recessbetween the flange and the inner member to receive the packing elements.This construction permits the introduction of the inner member 9 intothe outer member 5 as the inner diameter of the outer member at thepoint'from which the flange 1 rises is practically equal to the outerdiameter of the inner member. Thus these two semi-spherical members maybe assembled by simply moving the inner member into the outer along astraight line passing an extension of the axis of the shaft part of theinner member in any of the angular relationships of the shaft parts.Many previous casings have an outer member built up of more than onepiece and the opening of the outer shell is less than the outer diameterof the inner shell. Thus such previous casings require the outer shellto be formed of an attached part at the open end in order that the innershell can be removed therefrom. Such attached part not only is expensiveto construct in comparison to my improved casing but has the furtherfault of limiting the relative rotative movement of the semi-sphericalmembers to a degree less than is possible with my improved construction.Further, it is pointed out that in universal joints of this generalcharacter there is a separating strain imposed upon the two parts of theuniversal joint and in former constructions this stress is transmittedto the semi-spherical members due to the impossibility of their beingseparated in the manner provided for in my improved construction. Myconstruction therefore relieves the casing of these separating strainsincident to the operation of the encased joint.

Having thus briefly described my invention, its utility and mode ofoperation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States isl. A casing for a universal coupling between two shaftparts comprising a pair of semi-spherical sheet metal members eachattached to one of the shaft parts and extending toward the other partto beyond the center plane of the coupling, one of the saidsemi-spherical parts being nested within the other in a ball and socketrelationship and being open ended whereby the shaft parts may assumeangular relationship within the limits of the diameter of the open ends,the outer of said members having an outwardly extended flange, a packingring of triangular construction, one face of which engages the outersurface of the inner semi-spherical member and another face engaging thesaid flange of the outer member, a flat metal ring engaging the thirdface of the ring, a metal retainer element carried by the flange of theouter member, and spring means between said element and the metal ring.

2. A casing for a universal coupling between two shaft parts comprisinga pair of semi-spherical sheet metal members each attached to one of theparts and extending one into the other part in a ball and socketrelationship, each of the members extending respectively in overlappingrelation practically equi-distantly beyond the center plane of thecoupling, the outer of said semi-spherical members having an outwardlyextending peripheral flange to form with the other members a V shapedrecess, a packing ring of triangular cross section in the said V shapedspace, a sheet metal ring attached to the outer edge of the outermembers and having a central opening of approximately the diameter ofthe opening of the inner members in an equi-distantly spaced relationwith the center plane of the coupling, the said opening permitting amaximum angular relationship of the parts, a ring like washer, one faceof the triangular packing ring engaging the outer surface of the innersemispherical member and an opposite face engaging the flange of theouter member, and the third face being engaged by the said ring likemember, and spring means between the sheet metal ring and the washer formaintaining the packing in pressure engagement with the twosemi-spherical sheet metal members and preventing leakage of oiltherebetween.

3. A casing for a universal coupling between two shaft parts comprisinga pair of semi-spherical sheet metal members each having a hub forattachment to one of the respective shaft parts and extending one intothe other in a ball and socket relationship, each of the members havingan open end, the diameter of the open end of the outer member at itspoint of contact with the inner member being approximately the same asthe outer diameter of the inner member, a flange extending outwardly ininclined relation to the said open end of the outer member forming withthe inner member a V shaped recess, a packing ring of triangular crosssection in' the said V shaped space, a metal ring having bayonet slots,lugs extending outwardly from the flange of the outer member forengagement in the slots and the slots having a shoulder formed thereinbehind which the lugs engage when the parts are in assembled relation,and spring means between the ring and the packing tending to force thepacking in place and to hold the lugs'in position to engage the notch inthe slot thereof to thereby prevent rotation of the metal ring inrelation to the flange.

4. A casing for a universal coupling between two shaft parts comprisingtwo open ended semispherical sheet metal members in a ball and socketrelationship, each of a one-piece construction, the two members havinghubs connected with the respective shaft parts, and said shaft partsbeing united by a universal joint within the casing, the outer of saidcasing members having an outwardly inclined flange at the open endthereof and the diameter of the said open end being approximately thesame as the greatest diameter of the inner casing, said inner casingmember being greater than a hemisphere and having an open end of lessdiameter than the said open end of the outer member permitting the innermember to be introduced into the outer member on a straight lineextending through the axis of the shaft part supporting the inner memberin any of its operative angular positions in respect to the shaft part,and a packing ring spring-supported in the space between the inner faceof the flange of the outer member and the outer face of the innermember, the arrangement providing a universal coupling in which thesemispherical casing members may separate due to the separating strainsimposed on the encased joint in use subject only to the restraint of thespring-pressed packing.

5. A casing for a universal coupling between two shaft parts comprisingtwo open ended semispherical members in -a ball and socket relationship,said members being centrally connected to the respective shaft parts andthe said shaft parts being united by a universal joint within theeasing, the outer semi-spherical member having an open end of an innerdiameter approximately the same as the greatest diameter of the innermember permitting the inner member to be introduced into the outermember by movement on the extended axis of the shaft part companion tothe inner member in any of its operative angular positions in respect tothe shaft part companion to the outer member, and means for preventingleakage of lubricant between the two semi-spherical members, thearrangement providing a universal coupling in which the semi-sphericalcasing members are free to separate under influence of the separtingstrains imposed on the encased joint in use subject only to the possiblerestraint of the leak preventing means.

VICTOR E. NELSON.

